


a paradise, of sorts

by whatamidoingeven



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Established Relationship, F/F, Post-Canon, fluff and comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 02:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12973707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whatamidoingeven/pseuds/whatamidoingeven
Summary: Ann tries to look at the bright side.





	a paradise, of sorts

The sun beams down against her skin, warm, but not unbearable. She’s in the shade, under the palm trees as the waves of the ocean roll against the sands.

Perfect. 

Ann couldn’t have imagined a better vacation. No worries, no thinking about what comes next. Only herself, in a comfortable bikini she looks great in, enjoying the flawless weather. 

The only thing that could make this better would be a drink.

On cue, the waitress approaches her, bearing a plate with a gorgeously concocted and refreshing-looking beverage in the middle. The waitress isn’t bad to look at either- a flattering two-piece, abs like valleys carved by the wild waters of nature, tanned skin that Ann can see for miles and miles. No, not bad at all. 

“Miss, I have your drink.” Her voice is like silk, and Ann takes the glass from her hands and sips it, cool and refreshing, although it doesn’t taste much like anything. “Is there anything else I can do for you?” 

“Well, I’m a little warm.” Ann says, leaning back in her chair and lifting the sunglasses from her face so she can get a better look at the woman in front of her. Short bobbed hair seems distinct and familiar, but this isn’t the place to overthink things. Not when Ann’s mind is preoccupied as is. “Do you have any way to cool me down?”

“Of course.” The woman takes a step back, picking up a small, sturdy leaf, and begins fanning her from her right side.

It provides little relief from the sun’s rays, but what relief it does provide is counteracted by the heat that rushes to Ann’s face when she notices how the motion accentuates strong arm muscles, flexing and relaxing. The woman’s body is a work of art, one Ann can’t help admiring. 

But, well, she’s always thought the best sort of art is participatory. 

The woman asks, “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“I can think of one thing.” Ann’s eyes catch hers, and her motions slow to a stop. 

“What’s that?” The question isn’t genuine, not when she’s already leaning in close with a smile on her face. 

“You’re smart. Take a guess.” Their faces are so, so close now, and the rising heat of the moment constricts Ann’s chest. It’s overwhelming, almost, everything that has happened, and the pain she feels must surely be a response to that. 

“Ann.” The woman says. Ann never told her her name. It doesn’t matter. 

“Yes.” Ann replies. Their lips nearly touch. It’s electric. The pain in her chest increases, and she feels the woman’s breath against her, wants to replace it with her lips.  

“Wake up.” 

“Huh?” Ann jerks back, and clouds roll in, sudden and swift. 

“I said,  _ wake up! _ ” 

Ann shakes her head, and is immediately back in a dark room, covered by blankets, the buzz of a heater nearby as Makoto leans over her, her silhouette outlined in light from the lamp beside the bed.

“Wha…” Her voice sounds groggy in her ears and her throat burns. 

“You were coughing like crazy- you really need to take some medicine. Let me get it for you.” 

“Eugh.” The vocalizing sets off another round of coughs, and Ann crumples back into a ball on the bed, “This sucks.” 

“I can imagine.” Makoto’s pouring some unappetizing goop into a spoon, and Ann’s stomach rumbles just looking at it. “This should help the coughing, at least.”

“How long have you been sitting there?” She asks with a yawn. It’s impossible to tell what time it is just by looking. The room is dark with the shades drawn, and there’s no way to know whether the light peeking under them is from the sun or bright signage of Shibuya. 

“It’s not a big deal.” So, a long time. “I’m not going to just leave you like this.” 

“Hmph.” Ann sighs. It feels like Mt. Fuji’s sitting against her chest, but as much as she would love to be babied, she can’t let Makoto just sit there while she sleeps. After all it’s-- Saturday? Sunday? It would have to be Sunday if Makoto had off, but--

“It’s Christmas eve!” Ann yells and sits up, and then immediately doubles over with a groan at how much that hurt. 

“It’s just Christmas now, actually.” 

“We had a date! I can’t believe I missed it!” 

“Um, Ann?” 

She tries to shift out of the covers, but Makoto is there in an instant, wrapping her back up and pushing her back into bed, “Oh, come on, we have to go! We can’t spend the whole night inside.”

“Ann, please just- settle down, okay?” 

The token of resistance Ann manages is easily overpowered by Makoto’s strength, and trying to sit up again results in Makoto pinning her against the bed with one hand, the other jamming the spoon into her mouth. 

The gulp of medicine goes down rough, but once she takes it, Makoto pulls the spoon away slowly. “Do you need to be this difficult?” 

Ann frowns, but then realizes the position Makoto has put them in, and her frown slowly inches into a smirk. 

“You know, this isn’t exactly the way I pictured you being on top of me tonight.” Ann says with a sly wink. The cough that follows sort of cancels out the effect, but she still takes pride in Makoto’s reaction, scrambling off of her with a blush on her cheeks.

“You’re unbelievable.” She scoffs, setting the spoon down with a clang next to an inventory of other things on the end table beside Ann’s bed. 

“You love it.” With Makoto no longer over her, Ann sinks back into the bedding, and tries to make herself comfy. 

“That should be obvious.” Makoto’s arms are crossed, but she’s smiling. 

“I’m kind of a lame date right now, though.”

“I would say it’s not your fault, but…” Makoto hums, tapping a finger against her chin, “‘ _ but I don’t need any extra layers, it’s not that cold out _ ’, wasn’t that what you said?”

Ann frowns. It really  _ wasn’t  _ that cold that day, and if she ended up shivering for an hour straight after the shoot, well, how could that be  _ her  _ fault? She wasn’t the one who scheduled the shoot in the snow. “You’re really going to hassle a sick person over her past mistakes? I don’t have much time left, Makoto.” 

“Stop being dramatic.” Ann fakes a cough to accentuate the point, but it ends up triggering a whole new round of very real coughs. 

She throws a hand in the air, “Oh, my love! This is the end for me! All I wanted was a nice Christmas with my girlfriend, but alas! I am dead!” 

Makoto stares at her.

“Was that good?” Ann shifts onto her side and stares right back, “You totally bought it, right?” 

“I can’t believe my girlfriend is dead. I’ll have to move on.” 

“What?! Ow!” The medicine is distinctly  _ not  _ helping the burn in Ann’s throat, “You’d move on that quickly?!” 

Makoto reaches for the bottle of water beside the bed, “I guess I must be a pretty good actor, if I got you to fall for that.” 

“Jerk.” Ann pouts and takes the water from Makoto’s hands, “Making fun of a sick person.” 

“I have to find some way to entertain myself.” She replies as Ann takes a drink. “And you too.” 

“Yeah, well, not very entertaining. I hadn’t even been dead for a minute yet! Yeesh.” 

Makoto takes the bottle from her hands when Ann passes it back, and mutters out half hearted apologies as the two fall into quiet, the hum of the heater the only thing keeping the room from total silence before Makoto whispers, “You should really try to get more sleep.” 

“I want to do  _ something  _ with my Christmas eve.” Ann says. “I was looking forward to tonight.” 

“We can go out another night. It’ll probably be less busy, too.” 

“I know.” Ann sighs. Makoto had taken off work, something she rarely had the chance to do, and Ann had been just as busy lately. It wasn’t anyone’s fault- it was just the way it was when they were both trying to climb the career ladder, but it made their time together that much more scarce. And Ann had gone and gotten sick. 

There had to be  _ something  _ they could do together tonight, no matter how minor. 

“Hey, Makoto.” She sees Makoto perk up at her voice, “Can I have a kiss?”

One beat of silence. Two. “Absolutely not.” 

“Aw, how come? It’s Christmas!” 

“Are you kidding me? I don’t want to get sick!” 

That’s it-- time for the big guns, Ann decides, and she throws on the most dramatic frown she can muster, “Please, Mako-chan?”

“No!” 

Her lips start to quiver, and she can see the strict determination in Makoto’s expression chip away, bit by bit, before she finally closes her eyes. 

“Mako-chan, look at me. Please?” 

Ann knows she’s got her when the creases across Makoto’s forehead become more obvious from the effort of keeping her eyes closed, and Ann goes in for the kill, “I love you.” 

“Ugh, fine!” Makoto says, but doesn’t move towards Ann. Instead, she grabs something from the end table before turning and leaving the room.

“Uh, babe?” Ann says to the darkness, but the sound of running water is the only reply she gets. 

When Makoto returns, she’s got the spoon in hand, “Are you sure you’re not getting sick too?”

“N-no, I’m-- just let me do this, okay?!” Makoto says, flustered as she settles back onto her seat. 

Ann watches with curiosity as she brings the back of the spoon to her lips, giving it a quick peck before holding it out towards Ann. “There. Now if you do it, it’s essentially an indirect kiss.” 

Ann can’t hold back her smile as she takes the utensil, “Oh my god. You’re such a dork. It’s adorable.” 

She goes in for the kiss when she notices Makoto’s eyes on her, and pauses. Well, if she’s going to do this, she has to do it right, doesn’t she? She makes sure her eyes are locked with Makoto’s as she brings the spoon to her mouth, and takes her time giving it a proper kiss until Makoto has to bury her face in her hands. 

“Don’t tease me.” Ann laughs out loud at Makoto’s muffled plea, and holds the spoon back out. 

When Makoto reaches to take it, Ann slips her fingers against hers instead. She half expects Makoto to pull away, but instead, she gives in with a sigh, “I’m going to get sick, aren’t I?”

“Probably,” Ann says, running her thumb along Makoto’s, “But this is nice. So it’ll be worth it.” 

Makoto nods, and lifts Ann’s hand up, laying a kiss on the back of it, “Merry Christmas, Ann.” 

“Merry Christmas. And thank you for taking care of me.” Ann says with a smile, and the two sit together until Ann eventually lets herself drift back to sleep. 

It’s not exactly an island getaway, but when Ann wakes up the next morning with Makoto asleep next to the bed, their hands still linked together, Ann decides there’s nowhere else she’d rather be.   


End file.
